Christmas is an extremely important feast in all of Christendom but especially in Syriac Christianity - why? Whereas the Latins emphasize the Passion and the Greeks the Glorious Resurrection (both of which are essential to the faith and should be properly commemorated), we Syriacs focus on the Incarnation which begins with the birth of Christ. Our theology is an "incarnational" one - God has become man so that man may become God, having assumed what is ours and giving us what is His. Volumes could be written on the subject, so I shall just leave a Sooghito from the Christmas office in which Mary praises her newly born Son. How amazing is the self-abasement of Christ in His Incarnation - the Sustainer of the Ages condescends to be fed by a woman, the Bearer of Worlds is borne by a virgin, He who moves all things crawls on the ground, He who governs all things is directed by a human, and He, before whom fiery angels shudder and hide their faces from His blaze, is embraced by a lady.
Let us pray for peace this Christmas for Christ has brought peace between heaven and earth - between whom can He not bring peace?
